Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 9:06 AM -0700 5/6/00, Joe Codispoti wrote: >Simon, > >In most cases the meter reading rendered by any meter, is only a guide that >requires interpretation. >Be it a Nikon, Leica, or other camera/meter, you must know what it is >indicating. This requires specific knowledge of the meter in question and >how it reacts to what it sees. >You will get different readings if you meter the shadow, highlight, or other >density. But only one reading will give you the correct exposure. >A spot meter will give a different reading than an average meter. A more >pertinent test would be to check both against a gray card. The reading >should be the same. > >Get to know your camera meter and how it works. Do so by testing with low >ISO slide film. Take readings and photograph a variety of subjects in a >variety of lighting/contrast situations. Take pertinent notes of each >exposure. Evaluate the results. >Only then will you know what your meter is trying to tell you. Then you will >know where to aim the meter for the correct exposure. > >Joe Codispoti > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Simon Lamb" <s_lamb@compuserve.com> >To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >Sent: Saturday, May 06, 2000 8:46 AM >Subject: [Leica] M6 metering question > > >> Hi >> >> I have been using my M6 for a few days now and I have a question. I >> pointed the camera at a whitewashed textured wall, with ISO 400 Tri-X >> loaded, a 50mm f/2 attached and with the film speed dial set to 400, and >> the red dot appeared when the camera was set to a shutter speed of >> 1000/sec at f/13 or f/14 (whatever the half stop between f/11 and f/16 >> is on the lens). I pointed my Nikon F5 at the same spot on the same >> wall using an ISO 400 speed and an 85mm f/1.8 lens and, using spot >> metering (therefore switching off any colour metering capability), it >> registered settings of 400/sec at f/10. >> >> There is a significant difference here and I wondered if anyone could >> explain to me the reasons for the difference in metering and subsequent >> camera set-up. I have always trsuted the F5 meter and it has never been >> anything other than spot on. I am sure the M6 meter is equally >> accurate. However, given that I would probably want to dial in some >> overexposure on the white wall to get the whiteness and texture on the >> film, I do not have any f/stops or shutter speed left to enable me to >> overexpose by 1 or 1.5 stops. >> >> Any explanations would be gratefully received. >> >> Regards. >> >> Simon >> >> A spot meter should give the same reading as an average or matrix meter if the wall is white, grey or black, and fills the frame or metering area. If you are at 1/1000 at f/16 you can overexpose (without going to B) by 17 stops with an f/1.4 lens. In the mid ranges most of my cameras and meters agree with each other within 1 stop. At the extremes they disagree more. I meter differently with each, and have gotten used to their idiosyncracies, so it doesn't matter. Take pictures of real subjects, and adjust your film speed/metering technique to get you what you want. In case you think that meters should have less variance than 1 stop at mid ranges, go into a store and try 15 cameras and 8 meters and see how they perform. The only thing I have trouble with are matrix metering schemes, as they make assumptions without telling me, and give me whacky results at times. Center weighted or spot are my preference. * Henning J. Wulff /|\ Wulff Photography & Design /###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com |[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com